Financial Aid

Loan Programs

Bridgewater State University participates in a wide variety of federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid programs. These programs can be grouped into three categories: grant, work and loan.

The following is a description of the loan programs:

For financial aid purposes, the term “undergraduate” in the following paragraphs refers to students who are pursuing their first undergraduate degree. Enrollment levels are as follows: full time: 12 or more credits; three quarter time: 9 to 11 credits, half time: 6 to 8 credits; less than half time: 1 to 5 credits.

Student must complete a Direct Loan master promissory note and Direct Loan Entrance Counseling by BSU's deadline, prior to the last day of the semester, or prior to your last day of enrollment (whichever comes first) in order to receive this loan

Federal Ford Direct Unsubsidized Loan

Program allows all students, regardless of income, to obtain a student loan after having applied for financial aid

Student pays the interest during in-school & deferment periods or has it capitalized

Student pays an origination fee

Fixed interest rate, set each year on July 1. Refer to Direct Loan Web Site for current interest rate

Loan limits are based on grade level and are the same as the Subsidized loan, however, dependent undergraduates may borrow up to an additional $2000. Independent undergraduates may borrow up to an additional $6000 for freshmen and sophomores, and up to $7000 for juniors and seniors. Graduate students may borrow up to a total of $20,500.

Students who are dependent and whose parents were denied a Federal Ford Direct PLUS Loan may borrow

up to $4,000* for each of the freshman and sophomore years

up to $5,000* for each of the junior and senior years

Student must complete a Direct Loan master promissory note and Direct Loan Entrance Counseling by BSU's deadline, prior to the last day of the semester, or prior to your last day of enrollment (whichever comes first) in order to receive this loan

Apply only after having exhausted all other student financial aid programs

To apply, applicant must submit a Direct PLUS Loan application to the Financial Aid Office (available in the Financial Aid Office or on our Web site)

If approved, a Plus loan Master Promissory Note must be completed by the BSU deadline, prior to the last day of the semester, or prior to the last day of the student's enrollment, whichever comes first

The parent borrower must decide if any refund from the PLUS Loan is to be returned to the student or the parent and indicate so on the application